Kukla's Korner Hockey

“It’s the most important 24 hours in the history of the Phoenix Coyotes,” the source said.

Here’s the latest:

To complete its financing, the Renaissance Sports and Entertainment group needs a firm commitment from the Glendale City Council. They need a number on paper. They say they need $15 million annually.

The city has budgeted $6.5 million for management of Jobing.com Arena.

To bridge that $8.5 million gap, the two parties have negotiated revenue streams that will theoretically benefit both sides. The city will get a cut of parking, which will no longer be free for Coyotes fans. It gets a cut of future naming rights, which expire in 2016. It’s get a portion of ticket surcharge, and will oversee an escrow account that could pay the city even more money.

On paper, it could amount to $7-8 million of new revenue for Glendale every year.

But word is, the city of Glendale wants that number guaranteed. RSE won’t go down that road. And some fear that snag could be a potential deal-killer.

Any “ownership group” that needs to be subsidized by the city is doomed from the start.

Bettman knows it ... the other owners know it ... yet they all gree lit the process like they all expect it to work..
I know the league wants its money back but geez .... at least make it look less fraudulent to the general public.

Just admit Phoenix is a bad place to put a hockey team ... move them out and call it a day.

Posted by
Hockeytown Wax
from West Bloomfield, Mi. on 06/20/13 at 04:17 PM ET

The funny part about all of this to me is that Bettman’s just going to move the Coyotes from Phoenix to Phoenix North.

I thought moving the Yotes to Seatlle or KC was a fool’s errand. Apparently, I was right.

Anyone want to guess who the 26th (of 30) highest attended MLB team is? Seattle.
Anyone want to guess who had their NBA team yanked? Seatlle.
Anyone want to guess which city has already had an NHL team yanked? Seattle.

Anyone want to guess which city has already had an NHL team yanked? Seattle.

Holy bleep.

Posted by HockeyinHD on 06/20/13 at 07:23 PM ET

Haha, yeah I agree that it’s probably not going to go well in Seattle.
But were you’re referencing the ol’ Seattle Metropolitans of the Pacific Coast league (or association)? They did win the Stanley Cup and all but they weren’t in the NHL. Then iirc some group was bidding tor an expansion franchise but screwed up badly and Tampa and Ottawa were awarded teams.

The funny part about all of this to me is that Bettman’s just going to move the Coyotes from Phoenix to Phoenix North.

I thought moving the Yotes to Seatlle or KC was a fool’s errand. Apparently, I was right.

Anyone want to guess who the 26th (of 30) highest attended MLB team is? Seattle.Anyone want to guess who had their NBA team yanked? Seatlle.
Anyone want to guess which city has already had an NHL team yanked? Seattle.

Holy bleep.

Posted by HockeyinHD on 06/20/13 at 07:23 PM ET

Seattle had their NBA team yanked because the ownership group couldn’t get the city council to gift them a free arena.

I would think Red Wings fans would be thanking their lucky stars the city of Detroit is gullible enough to gift such a thing to the Ilitches, instead of sneering at Seattle for being more prudent and losing a popular sports team in the process.

Seattle fans supported the Supersonics. They weren’t “yanked”, they were blatantly, criminally stolen. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s an intelligent destination for an NHL team or that it’ll be close to working but it’s disingenuous to suggest the Supersonics leaving Seattle was because of lacking fan support.

If anyone thinks charging for parking in Glendale is going to increase attendance and/or bring in more revenue for the team or city, bad news. Unlike pretty much any other arena, parking has always been free there, sort of a trade off for the terrible drive to get the arena for most fans. Plus, there are plenty of options in the area to avoid paying for parking.

I’d expect attendance to drop somewhat from this move and you can bet the diehards that remain will find places to park that won’t benefit the city/team. Walk up business is going to be gone from tourists.

Since I’m at it, the numbers only get worse with Detroit only playing there once next season. Pittsburgh will probably sellout, and its a wash, but playing Anaheim/LA/San Jose/Dallas/St Louis on more nights won’t help sell tickets either.

As for the ‘Phoenix is a big tv market’ argument, the local population doesn’t watch. And if they did the broadcast on FS-AZ is horrible. Tyson Nash makes Olczyk sound fair and balanced. Half the games get pushed onto a digital feed and can’t be watched without upgrades.

Glendale got itself into this mess, hopefully they learn a lesson from it. The situation is dragging the league down, and its time to move on. Besides, hyping a 100th anniversary of the Cup in Seattle in 2017 can only be good for business. Probably give them a winter classic that gets rained out too.